I'm sure there will be others with their own (and possibly conflicting) opinions, but for question #1, I always advise my clients to focus on properties in areas that 1) they currently (or previous) live in/near, 2) they travel to frequently, or 3) they have family/friends in the area.For question #2, the answer is going to depend on what you do for #1.

Understanding exactly who is the decision maker for property is not as simple as looking through the assessor records.

A promissory note is used to record the contract. 

For the record - I am an international investor.

There are other cheaper alternatives - for example, with datatree you can get down to 10 cents a record."

Never put all your eggs in one basketread the PPM and documents and have an attorney review understand what your investing in, fees and hold Timeunderatand their track record a lot more to consider those are just a few 

One community I invest in is currently adding a quarter billion dollar mixed use development the other is at an interstate insertion that 4x's the population with travelers daily. 

Random example from this week:Sell at a loss or rent at a lossOn the other hand, if you are willing to put some time in by traveling to the market, spending time getting a network set up, screening dozens or even hundreds of properties, and taking the time to get set up right, you increase your chance of success.  

If you need any contacts that would travel to do the work feel free to DM me.

i don't know how you BRRRR out of state unless you're planning on traveling there frequently to oversee it.